Non the span of life, they pass over 90,000 hours working and 200 hours a year dreaming of a vacation. Yet, when the longed-for vacation time arrives, many are unable to truly enjoy it.
To confirm it, it was a study conducted by Glickonan Italian leader in the HR tech software market engaged in the creation of technological solutions capable of improving the experiences of people in companies, measure the work sustainability and supporting business decision-makers through the use of data and AI to make informed and objective decisions to realize talent. Through its Observatory, Glickon found that 40% of workers check their emails even when on vacationWhile 20% say they feel obliged to be contactable and available so much so that you can take your PC and company phone with you in your suitcase.
Behaviors that for i Millennials respond to the concept of flexibilitywhile for the Generation X and the Boomers have become a habit derived from a model set on overworking. A different perspective for the last to enter the world of work, the GenZs, who instead place work-life balance as a priority.
So what happened to the notorious out-of-office? To find a healthy work-life balanceperhaps it would be worth asking yourself, reflecting on the opportunity that holidays offer to truly disconnect. And thus be more likely to return to work recharged.
Why is it often not possible to do this? And how to learn to find the right balance between holidays and work? We asked Monica Bormetti, occupational psychologist which deals with training and coaching on work-life balance and digital well-being.
Work and holidays: no to the ‘ennoblement of tiredness’
«The reasons that can make it so difficult to disconnect from work even when you are on vacation can be different – explains the psychologist. – However there is one that, from my point of view, characterizes our historical period and which it is useful to pay attention to: the ennobling of tiredness. I mean that phenomenon that the South Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han describes in his book “Society of Fatigue”. The tendency to feeling satisfied because you are tired and too busy. So thoughts like “I have too much to do, I can not disconnect”, “I would like to go on vacation but I have too many projects open” etc. Here, this feeling fulfilled because we are tired and busyI don’t think it gets us anywhere. In this scenario, laziness has no place and instead perhaps we should make it more».
Pulling the plug should not be an additional duty
So if it is essential to know how to enjoy the holidays, the sweet doing nothing and, why not, even a bit of healthy boredom, what can be the first step to succeed?
“First of all, it should be noted that pulling the plug should not be an additional duty, otherwise it falls into the check-list of things to do in our lives, and no longer actually fulfills its true function – underlines Dr. Bormetti. – But I think it is It is important to remember that human beings thrive on cyclicity: alternating night and day and the changing and repeating seasons are two examples that we always have before our eyes. In this cyclicity there are different phases: that of doing, of work, of industriousness, of productivity and then the phase of being, contemplation, introspection. So we cannot always be in the doing phase, but it is important to also leave room for the being phase. The first step for me is learn to carve out small moments in everyday life to be and not to do. Then we can expand those moments, if we want, over a longer period on holidays ».
Work and holidays: what if you can’t completely disconnect?
As Glickon’s research demonstrates, however, for many, checking e-mails even during the holidays is normal. Would it be better to avoid?
“I believe that, as with so many other topics, there is an ideal scenario and then a realistic scenario – emphasizes the psychologist. – The ideal scenario is that you pull the plug completely. But this sometimes, if we are not in a position to do it, risks creating further performance stress, as we said, unplugging becomes a duty. So I find it more useful to work on a realistic scenariobeing tolerant with themselves and not creating further stress. The realistic scenario can be look at emails at set times. The fact that they are fixed is important because an element that creates difficulties for us is having blurred boundaries so any moment could be good to look at emails and if we don’t do it then we feel guilty”.
Does unplugging make getting back to work more difficult?
For some though, remain in some way “connected” to the world of workit’s one way to make the impact of returning to everyday life less difficult. Is this an illusion or is it really a useful strategy?
«I propose an inversion of terms: staying connected to work can make vacation more difficult – specifies Dr. Bormetti. – And then I think that we have to ask ourselves if the important part of our life is work or time for oneself and consciously choose around which of the two to rotate our decisions. Said this, I think that disconnecting completely can make it more difficult to returnbecause if we are in a loop of habits that lead us to always be connected, habit change is hard, like all changes in life. This But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it».
Work and holidays: what about freelancers?
In this scenario, one cannot forget that there are categories, such as that of self-employedfor which the border between work and vacation becomes even more labile. Quite simply, there is no one to take care of their work while they are away. In these cases, being able to disconnect and carve out a break can be more difficult…
“I’m in exactly this condition: freelancer – concludes the expert. – AND I can’t always disconnect 100% when I travelbut I try to give me rules. For me it works protect absolutely off moments during the dayespecially the morning because it is the early part of the day and that often influences me more the rest of the time as well. Another thing that helps me is anticipate my departure to customers in time, in order to demarcate any issues beforehand. In the end, keep a few days back without appointments and projects to carry out it’s one of the aspects that allows me to disconnect most when I’m on vacation».
Find the right balance between work and holidaysSo it’s really possible. In the gallery above, the useful strategies recommended by the psychologist in view of the work break.
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